Flash lamp ejector socket assembly



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May 6, 1952 A. WILKINSON 2,595,318

FLASH LAMP EJECTOR` SOCKET ASSEMBLY Filed July 23, 1948 ;Z L @D .A

0 M Mswnw TOR/VEYS Patented May 6, 1952 FFICE FLASH LAMP EJECTOR SOCKETASSEMBLY Leonard A. Wilkinson, Ann Arbor, Mich., assigner to ArgusCameras, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application July 23, 1948, Serial No. 40,318

Claims. 1

This invention relates to flash lamp ejector socket assembliesespecially for use in photography and is particularly directed to suchsocket assemblies wherein a iiash bulb having a base of the so-calledbayonet type may be speedily ejected from the socket'after having beeniired and a new bulb speedily substituted in the socket by a singleaxial thrust movement to make ready for instantaneous use after anexposure has been made.

In fiash light photography it is very often desirable to make two ormore exposures in quick succession. This requires speedy replacement ofthe iiash bulb that was red during the preceding exposure. These bulbsbecome very hot when fired and will burn the lingers if an attempt ismade to grasp them to remove them from the socket. Hence, it has beenproposed to provide quick ejection means by which mechanism within thesocket will project the bulb out of the socket upon manipulation of atrigger or some other device readily available to the operator who maythen simply thrust the new bulb into the socket and be ready for a freshexposure.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide a novel ejectorsocket assembly for this purpose wherein a bulb of the type having abayonet base with radially projecting prongs may be mounted in thesocket by a single axial thrust and gripped and held there until firedand then ejected at the will of the operator without the operator havingto handle the bulb.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel expansible andcontractible socket assembly wherein when the bulb base is thrust intothe socket the latter acts to receive and then grip the base to maintainthe bulb in position to be fired, and wherein a spring is providedadapted to be triggered to eject the used bulb when the socket isopened.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel two-part socketfor a` flash lamp ejector assembly wherein the socket parts are forcedapart by entering movement of the lamp base and come together again toretain the lamp in condition to be fired and wherein the lamp isautomatically ejected at the vwill of the operator by means of a triggerattached to one of the parts of the socket.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel ejectorsocket assembly wherein a lamp bulb is ejected by spring action whenreleased in the socket and wherein movement of the socket parts torelease the bulb automatically additionally loads the ejector springprior to ejecy tion of the bulb,v for speedy ejector action.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceedsin connection -with the appended claims and the annexed drawingswherein:

Figure l is a front elevation of the battery and socket casing accordingto a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating the mouth ofsocket and the manner in which the casing is attached to the camera;

Figure 2 is a side elevation mainly in section illustrating details ofthe socket and its electrical connection to the battery;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View of the casing looking upwardly in Figures1 and 2 but with thel bottom cap removed and illustrating the electricalconnections at the socket;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section illustrating the electrical connectionto the prongs that enter corresponding sockets in the camera;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section illustrating the electrical connectionto the bottom cap.

Figure 6 is a section illustrating a further embodiment of the inventionwherein the socket is provided with an inclined spring loading face andFigure 7 is a fragmentary section illustrating a modified internalconstruction of the socket.

My flash lamp holder and ejector assembly Y comprises a tubular body Il,which is made of hard black plasticy or some insulating material, with abottom opening closed by a metal cap l2 threaded upon the lower portionof the body like the usual fiashlight casing cap, and a front opening i3in alinement with which is secured a reiiector member I4 as by screwsI5.

The tubular lower end of body Il contains two batteries l@ in series,with the center terminal of the upper battery urged against a xedterminal screw Il that is threaded into an internal integral shelf Itwithin the body. Tight electrical contact is assured by a coil spring l9 which reacts between the cap I2 and the bottom of the lower battery.

A socket assembly, the open end of which faces opening I3, is mounted inbody Il above shelf I3 and comprises a lower shell member 2| which issecured rigidly to body Il by a downturned iiange 22 that is clampedbehind reiiector Ill and held rigidly to the body by one of the screwsl5 that passes therethrough. Shell member 2! is provided with opposedupstanding ears 23 each of which is connected by a pivot pin 24 to acorresponding ear 25 depending from upper socket shell member 26. Uppershell member 26 is thus pivotally mounted on lower shell member 22.Forwardly of pivot 24, each ear 23 is formed with a downwardly andforwardly inclined face 2l and below face 2l with an arcuate forwardlyopen recess 28, which is preferably just larger than the bayonet pin onthe usual miniature flash lamp bulb in the preferred embodiment :of theinvention. These pins are indicated at 3).

Forwardly of each ear 25, upper socket member 26 is also formed with adownwardly and 3 forwardly inclined face 29 which is of the sameinclination as face 21. At the front end of the socket, member 26 isformed with a rearwardly and downwardly inclined camming face 3| thepurpose of which will later be described.

Integral with upper socket member 26 is an upstanding lug 32 connectedby a tension spring 33 to the reflector or some other stationary part onbody I|, by which upper socket member 26 is normally urgedcounterclockwise in Figure 2 to socket closed position, the limit ofmovement being determined by engagement of inclined faces 21 and 29. Anyother stop engagement between the socket members may be employed asdesired.

Preferably socket member 26 is semi-cylindrical as illustrated in Figure1 and, when it is in the fully closed position of Figure 2, thecurvature of its cylinder substantially conforms to the base of the lampto be thrust therein, and it is coaxial with the axis of the socketwhich is substantially horizontal and coincident with the axis of thereflector.

An integral arm 36 extends rearwardly from yupper socket member 26 toenter a slot 31 in a plunger 38 that otherwise projects slidably throughan aperture in the top of body I I. When the plunger 38, which iseffectively supported by the arm 36, is depressed by downward movementthereof into the body, the entire upper socket member 26 is rockedclockwise about pivot 24 against the force of spring 33 to uncover thefront end of recess 28 that is otherwise closed by surface 29 when theparts are in the position shown in Figure 2. The purpose of thisoperation will later be described.

The socket members 2| and 26 are metal and the socket comprises oneterminal of the electrical circuit which coacts with the prongs andshell of the bayonet base of the lamp. Depending flange 22 is connectedelectrically to the battery circuit by a metal strip 40 that is clampedbetween the back of ange 22 and body by a screw I and extends throughopening I3 and downwardly through a hole 4| in shelf IB to the underside of shelf, I8 where it is bent to provide a horizontally extendingportion 42 illustrated in Figure 3. A ledge 50 integral with theunderside of shelf I8 prevents contact of strip portion 42 with spring54. Strip portion 42 is in turn bent downwardly to lie within alongitudinal shallow side wall recess 43 that extends the length of bodyI I as illustrated in Figure l. This downwardly extending strip portion44 is connected by a rivet 45 to a terminal pin 46 that extends throughan elongated integral side boss 41 in body II and has a projectingpronged end 4B adapted to enter a socket in the camera. Also projectingthrough boss 41 is a second terminal pin 49 having a pronged end 5|adapted to enter a socket in the camera and having at its rear end arivet 52 by which it is connected to a downwardly extending metalconductor strip 53 that lies in recess 43 and extends to the bottom ofthe body where it is bent outwardly and upwardly into a suitable recessin the threaded lower end of tube II to conductively engage the metalcover I2 to complete the electrical circuit between the conductor strip53 and the metal spring I9 contacting the bottom terminal of lowerbattery I6 as illustrated in Figure 5.

The center contact of upper battery I6 is pressed by spring I9 againstthe head of terminal screw I1, which also secures upon the under side ofshelf IB a strip of flexible spring metal 54 that is bent upwardlythrough a rearwardly open groove 55 in the back of shelf I8 to therebyprevent rocking movement of spring strip 54 and to locate its upwardlyand forwardly projecting contact portion 56 within the shell and out ofcontact with the shell members in position to be engaged by the centercontact on the base of bulb which is pushed into the socket. Asillustrated in Figure 2, the upwardly and forwardly inclined end ofspring 54 which is to be engaged by the center terminal of the bulb baseextends forwardly at least as far as recess 28 so as to insure that whenthe bulb .base is thrust axially into the socket spring 54 will becompressed and energized. The dimensions are such that while electricalcontact is thereby effected and spring 54 is cocked or compressed thereis no tendency for the center contact 56 to touch the shell walls andthus short circuit the batteries.

The prongs 48 and 5| are adapted to fit into corresponding sockets inthe camera and contacts associated with the shutter blade trip mechanismare employed to close the circuit.

Starting with the socket empty, a bulb having opposite bayonetprojections is pressed into the open end of the socket. The lower member2| of the socket is stationary, but engagement of the bayonet pins withthe cam faces 3| pivots the upper member 26 of the socket about thepivots 24 against the tension of spring 33 until the pins have passedinto the uncovered recesses 28. At that time the socket is reclosed bythe action of tensioned spring 33, and the front ends of recesses 28 areclosed by the inclined surfaces 29 on the upper shell member. The spring54, which was compressed by this action of pushing the bulb into thesocket, exerts a constant axial pressure on the bulb, in addition toproviding electrical contact therewith, which pressure urges the bayonetpins against face 29. The springs 33 and 54 are of such relativestrength in association with the leverage exerted by the spring 33 thatthis axial pressure of spring 54 is not sufficient to rock the uppershell member and the pins are held within recess 28 in tight contactwith the shell. Since faces 21 and 29 are of the same inclination withrespect to the axis of the socket, they form coacting stop faces thataccurately locate the bulb in the socket.

After the shutter has been actuated to make an exposure, therebycompleting the circuit which is otherwise partially completed by theinsertion of the bulb into the socket, and firing the bulb, the operatormay eject the hot bulb merely by pressing downwardly on plunger 38 inthe direction of the arrow in Figure 2. This uncovers the front end ofrecesses 28 by rocking the shell member 26 clockwise and permits thecompressed spring 54 to throw the bulb outwardly of the socket clear ofthe reflector. Since the plunger is usually pushed down rather quickly,the energy of the spring 54 is released rather suddenly which means thatthe force of ejection of the bulb is adequate to snap it clear of thecamera and this is a desirable feature.

Figure 6 illustrates an embodiment of the invention wherein the socketshell is constructed almost exactly as in Figure 2, except that thelower portion of face 29 is reversed and inclined downwardly andrearwardly at 51, and lugs 58 at the intersection of faces 3| and 51comprise the stops that engage the lower socket member to correctlylocate upper socket member 26 in this embodiment.

In this embodiment the bulb is thrust axially into the socket as aboveand similarly gripped and held there with the prongs in recesses 28 andspring 54 cocked. After the bulb has been fired depression of plunger 38uncovers recesses 28 as before to permit spring ejection of the bulb. Inthis embodiment during clockwise rotation of shell member 26 about pivot24, face 5l in contact with the bayonet pins 30 exerts a push to theright in Figure 6 which displaces pins 30 to the back of recesses 28 andthus tends to additionally load the already Vcompressed spring 54 justprior to the ejector action. This added loading takes up any loosenessor play that may be present and increases the suliciency of ejection.

Referring to Figure 7, the socket mounting and electrical connectionsare slightly dilerent. Here the upper center contact of top battery I6engages a spring finger 69 that is secured to the front end of anintegral shelf 6l projecting forwardly from the rear Wall of tubularbody Il, as by a set screw 62. The upper end of spring nger 60 is bentalong the top surface of shelf 6| and then reversely bent to provide aninclined bulb center contact engaging portion 63 within the shell. Thisprovides an ejector spring anchored at one end on shelf 6 I.

Electrical contact between the lower shell member 2l' and strip 44 ishere provided by bending strip 44 at right angles after it passes abovethe level of shelf 6 I, to provide a forwardly extending portion 64which terminates in a tab 65 bent around the front edge of socket member2| and secured thereto as by a rivet 66.

In this embodiment face 29 is omitted, the stops 5B properly locatingthe socket parts in closed position as in Figure 6. When the socket isclosed, as in Figure 7, the ejector spring 63 urges the pins 3i) towardthe face 51, and clockwise rocking movement of shell member 26 isprevented by the fact that the thrust of spring 63 is substantiallyaxial and since spring 33 opposes this movement. During the ejectoraction, face El acts to additionally load spring 63 as in Figure 6.

The invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and al1 changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

l. In an ejector socket assembly, two socket shell members pivotallyconnected for relative movement about an axis transversely of saidsocket, one of said shell members having recesses forwardly open toreceive the usual bayonet pins of a small ash lamp bulb and the otherhaving forwardly disposed inclined cam faces adjacent the recesses andadapted to be simultaneously engaged by the pins of a bayonet base bulbthrust into the socket to relatively pivot said shell members and openthe normally closed socket and permit entry of the pins into saidrecesses, a spring energized by said relative pivotal movement of saidshell members for automatically reclosing the socket when the pins arein said recesses, center contact resilient means engaged and energizedby said axial thrust of the bulb into said socket, and manual operablemeans for positively relatively pivoting said shell members to -6 permitsaid energized resilient means to eject the bulb from said socket.

2. In a lamp ejector socket assembly, a socket having a stationarymember and a pivotally connected member spring biased toward closedsocket position, the axis of said pivot being transverse of said socket,a cam surface on said pivoted member adapted to be engaged byprojections on the base of the lamp for rocking said pivoted member toopen the socket to admit said projections into a recess therein, thesocket then reclosing under spring action to retain the lamp in thesocket, and av spring engaging the central contact of the lampcompressed by axial insertion of the lamp for Amaintaining said bulbtight in said socket.

3. In the assembly dei-ined in claim 2, manual means actuated by theoperator for rocking said pivoted member for releasing the lamp base topermit said compressed spring to eject the lamp from the assembly.

4. In a flashlamp ejector device, a socket assembly comprising shellmembers connected for relative pivotal movement abo-ut an axistransversely of said socket, a spring biasing said members to closedposition, a center contact spring projecting within the socket but outof contact with said members, and a cam surface on one of said membersadapted to be engaged by projections on the base of a lamp thrustaxially into said socket for relatively pivoting said shell members toreceive the lamp base into the socket, said center contact spring beingcompressed during insertion of the lamp base.

5. In the device dened in claim 4, one of said shell members beingformed with forwardly open recess means for receiving said projections,and the other of said shell members having means closing said recessmeans in the closed position of the socket.

6. In the device defined in claim 4, coacting stops on said shellmembers determining the normal closed socket position.

7. In the device dened in claim 4, an arm projecting from one of saidshell members and a manual operating member connected to said arm foreffecting relative pivotal movement of said. shell members.

8. In a flash lamp ejector socket for receiving a lamp base havingprojecting pins, two transversely pivotally connected socket shellmembers one of which is formed with forwardly open aligned recesses, andthe other of which has portions opposite the open ends of said recesses,a cam surface on one of said shell members adapted to be contacted bysaid pins for relatively pivoting said socket members to uncover saidrecesses to receive said pins when the lamp base is thrust axially intosaid socket, a contact and ejector spring adapted to be engaged andcompressed by the lamp base in said socket, a socket biasing spring forreclosing said socket manual means for relatively pivoting said shellmembers, and cam means on one of said socket members adapted to urgesaid pins rearwardly into said recesses during said relative pivotalmotion of the socket shell member to further load said ejector spring.

9. In an ejector socket assembly, two transversely pivoted shellmembers, one having recesses open to receive the usual bayonet pins of asmall flash lamp bulb and the other having inclined cam faces oppositethe open sides of said recesses, and an ejector spring loaded and incontact with the center base terminal of a bulb in said socket, saidspring urging said pins forwardly against said cam faces, and said camfaces acting when said shell members are relatively pivoted to releasethe pins to first urge said pins rearwardly in said recesses toadditionally load said spring prior to bulb ejection.

10. In an ejector socket assembly, a socket having relatively movablemembers to receive and grip in electrical contact therewith a lamp basethrust axially thereinto, a spring adapted to be i0 engaged andcompressed by said lamp base and expanding to eject the lamp from thesocket upon release from said gripping means, means operative upon saidsocket for releasing said base for ejection by said spring, and means onat least one of said socket members actuated by said releasing means foradditionally compressing said spring just prior to release of said lampbase.

LEONARD A. WILKINSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

